French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife swept into Britain for the start of a State Visit, mixing elaborate pomp with an impassioned warning that the West must beat the Taliban in Afghanistan _ no matter what the cost.
Gone were the trademark sunglasses and the ubiquitous cell phone _ Sarkozy played the statesman Wednesday as he began a two-day tour, greeting Queen Elizabeth II, and inspecting rows of cavalrymen as he prepared for key talks on defense, the economy and immigration.
After a round of ceremonial duties, he gave a fiery speech to a joint sitting of Britain's House of Commons and House of Lords.
Sarkozy followed a powerful tribute to Britain's role in countering the threat of fascism in Europe with a promise to stand by London's side as it fought against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The pomp _ and the opportunity to appear dignified _ is important to Sarkozy amid a sagging approval rating at home and questions about his attitude.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown plans lengthy discussions with his counterpart on Thursday about Afghanistan, as well as on a possible joint nuclear energy project, climate change and the international response to the recent unrest in Tibet.
But Wednesday's schedule focused mainly on pageantry, not politics _ and the public's gaze was fixed on Sarkozy's glamorous wife, the model-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who curtsied to the queen and chatted animatedly with her as the French couple arrived at Windsor Castle.
Bruni-Sarkozy, in a demur belted gray Christian Dior coat and matching pillbox hat, smiled as Prince Charles kissed her gloved hand in greeting as he met the visitors at London's Heathrow Airport.
"It was like a French Catholic schoolgirl meets Jackie O", said Lucy Yeomans, editor of the fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar, likening Bruni-Sarkozy's outfit to the famously stylish former U.S. first lady Jackie Kennedy.
Britain's tabloids, however, greeted Bruni-Sarkozy in typical style _ printing a nude photograph she posed for in 1993.
The original print is due to be auctioned in New York next month by Christie's auction house.
Sarkozy's 36-hour trip is the first state visit to Britain by a French president in 12 years.
© GPD AP; Photos by © GPD AP
Some great photos and it will be interesting to see if Sarkozy's popularity improves after this visit. His wife looked very elegant.
Posted by: Moggy | March 28, 2008 at 02:02 AM